


I know who you are

by Vandertales



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Sports, deanoru - Freeform, i guess, inspired by my name is carter, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 20:37:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17567558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vandertales/pseuds/Vandertales
Summary: It was supposed to be a fun trip; a detour before the USTA Junior tennis tournament in Seminole, Florida. Karolina and her dad, just taking a pit stop at the Central historical museum.But when the police walks in and places her father under arrest, Karolina´s life turns into a surreal nightmare where there’s no waking up from.Her father´s under arrest, whilst a stranger who claims to be her mother wants to take Karolina home with her to Brentwood, Los Angeles.What do you do when your life spins out of control, and you can’t go back to how reality used to be? Karolina has no idea. But she does know that Nico Minoru, the girl with the fierce eyes yet gentle demeanor, is slowly becoming the biggest light in Karolina´s life.Deanoru AU.





	I know who you are

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah it was a long time since I wrote anything, so sorry about that. I might not update frequently, but I hope to finish this within a year. Sorry for spelling or grammar mistakes.

Today, the 5th of August had shown itself to be the hottest day in the summer. The news had been talking about this years summer temperature as if obsessed, and water had been scarce in many parts of the country.  
The air danced in a visible pattern above the roads and against the buildings, and Karolina felt the sun burn into the skin on her shoulders.  
Everyone who passed through on the cramped street in the central town had dressed as light and thin as possible, t-shirts and shorts, and the few unlucky workers with business suits and working clothes made a valiant attempt to not look as if they were boiling underneath the layers of clothing.  
Karolina´s father whom walked beside her took a short rest in the shade underneath the roof got a small clothing boutique, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. 

”Starting to regret the suit and tie?” Karolina asks with a teasing tone, even though she is slightly concerned. He’s not as young anymore, the gray hairs slowly but ever increasing amongst his darker black, and the quite thick fabric of his jacket.

”Honestly speaking… Maybe just a tiny bit.” His breath is slightly ragged, and his face looks a bit haggard. The small wrinkles by edges of his eyes have grown more pronounced the last few months. He smiles at her with a spark of glee. ”But it´s never too warm to dress in a suit.”

”Sure dad, keep telling yourself that” Karolina laughs, and gazes around the small crowded street. It´s a street only for pedestrians, that spreads like the branches of a tree in several different directions. Almost like a labyrinth, but the people that’s bustling past them all seem to know exactly where they’re going.   
”Are we there soon?” Karolina asks.

”Only a block away, and thank god for that” he says and lets out a huff, nods towards one of the bigger streets to the left. ”How about an ice cream later?”

”Yes please” Karolina laughs, feeling how a thin coat of sweat spreads over her forehead. ”I´d probably do anything for an ice cream right now.”

They walk in the shade as much as possible, dodging the quite careless pedestrians that almost bumps into them in the narrow street. The sidewalk is clad with cobblestone, and it´s really quite fitting when they reach their destination: Central Historical Museum.  
Karolina walks in through the entrance, with her father trailing close behind her. The cool breeze from the AC in the lobby feels heavenly against her skin, her father letting out a sigh of relief as well.

A well dressed woman, white shirt and a black pencil skirt with a name plate attached to her collar approaches them. She welcomes them warmly and is quick to offer a guided tour in the museum. Karolina´s father gratefully accepts, but is equally quick to ask the most pressing question before she brings them to the very first exhibition room.

”Do you by any chance have a café or the like, where we can buy ice cream? A day like this, anything that’s cooling would be like a dream come true.”

The guide lets out a small laughter. ”Oh don’t worry, I understand completely. Luckily we do have a small café. And yes, there’s ice cream in one of the fridges.”

”You´re a saint!” He smiles.

They follow her into a big gray corridor with big display cases alongside the walls. Skeletons and fossils of old animals and dinosaurs is propped up in them, a Dynonechous in one of them with its mouth wide open and fangs on full display, while a small flying creature called Pteradonton is hiding behind a plastic stump.  
They go from the Mesozoic age to the stone age, and on to the bronze age in a steady pace. Karolina meets the guidens enthusiastic gaze, nods occasionally to be as polite as possible. Only, she isn´t listening whatsoever. Or rather, she´s not able to. Her mind is like a repeating track, stuck on the same song. The match tomorrow, against Michelle. Michelle who beat her with two sets last year, and won the practice match four months ago.  
It´d been her fathers idea to do something fun before the match, take her mind off of it. Problem is, Karolina isn’t easily swayed, nor was museums really her thing.   
But this was the only place that hadn´t been either closed or fully booked.

When the museum guide walks infront to bring them to the last exhibition room, her father takes the chance to lightly nudge Karolina in the side with his elbow.

”It´s not working, huh?” he whispers.

She can´t help but look a bit sheepish. He always seems to know when she´s mulling on something.   
”Yeah.” she mumbles.

”Don´t be nervous sweetie” he says, and gently pats her shoulder. ”Everything will be fine tomorrow.”

Karolina nods and smiles, but the lump of nervositet still festers in her stomach. It´s been like that the whole day, and before every single match this year. And honestly, it´s not that odd considering how much is at stake this year. Everything depends on whether she can get a good placement in the tournaments this year and the next; she needs that spot in the Division One League, her scholarship depends on it.  
Her father have supported her with her Tennis, worked hard and long shifts as a construction worker to pay for her travels to tournament and fees to the club.  
If she can work herself up from the Second Division to the First Division she can get that scholarship for College.   
He won’t need to work his body to pieces to afford her education.

Karolina barely notices that the tour is over and that dad has bought ice cream for both of them until he holds it out to her.  
Strawberry flavor. Karolina´s favorite.

”What´s on your mind?” he asks gently. 

”Nothing special.” Karolina says, and peels off the wrapper around the already melting ice cream. She gives him a grateful smile, tries to keep lump in her stomach at bay. ”Seems distractions didn’t work.” She explains, and gives him an excusing smile.   
A woman with large sunglasses brushes past them, and her two children bumps into Karolina´s father. 

”Oh, I´I’m so sorry sir!” The woman gushes her apology to him, and he laughs.  
”It´s alright ma´am. Energetic children are healthy children after all!”

The woman seems to halt for a split second, gaze at both Karolina and her father in particular, before one the boys tugs the fabric of her dress.

”Mom, me and Kevin wants ice cream.”

”Oh” she says, an odd tone in her voice. She ushers the boy to the children play corner by the corner of the café. ”Go and play with Kevin and I´ll get you ice cream. Excuse me.”

The woman excuses herself, throws Karolina´s father a quick gaze and quickly scurries off to the cashier.   
As Karolina and her father goes to one of the nearby tables, she can´t help but throw a quick glance at the odd lady. She seems to talk with a hushed yet stressed tone with the cashier.  
She had such a weird look in her eyes.

”Well, we tried at least.” Karolina´s father interrupts her thoughts, and he sits down on the plastic chair opposite her. ”You´re talented, Karolina. Just do your best, and don’t think too much. You’ll win. You’ll see.” 

”Hmm.” She hums a bit skeptically. But the lump in her stomach eases a little at his words, and she tries to focus on the taste of strawberry ice cream.   
Out of the corner of her eye, she notices the lady in the red dress still talking to the cashier. The cashier stares back at Karolina. He suddenly looks pale, and he nods as the woman keeps mumbling something to him.   
The two keep looking at them. Or is Karolina just imagining it?

Her father doesn´t seem to have noticed, or he just doesn’t care. Karolina tries to focus on that. How he´s always so calm, always knows what to say. And Karolina loves him, even if she doesn’t always say it out loud.  
It´s just been him and her, a team, as long as she can remember.  
Ever since her mom died 14 years ago.

”Yeah, but Michelle Williams is good.” She answers, and takes another bite of the half-eaten ice cream. ”She´s the best in the entire Oklahoma State.”

”She can be however good she wants, you´ll send her home packing. I´ll even wave her goodbye on her way to the flight home!” He just barely manages to say it without cracking up and Karolina can’t help but laugh. ”I´ll even bet 500 bucks.” he adds, holding up his hands.

”I admire your optimism.” Karolina giggles.

”It´s not optimism, honey, it´s the truth. Have more confidence in yourself.” He smiles, and eats the last piece of his ice cream cone. ”Now, how about we head back to the hotell?”

Karolina finishes her cone, and tosses the paper in the trash bin. ”If you don’t melt away in that suit first.” 

He laughs, and wipes the thin coating of sweat of his forehead. ”Did you really have to remind me?”

But as they head for the exit, two employees quickly runs infront of them and blocks their path.  
It´Its the barista from the café and a security guard with a hand resting on the black baton tied to the belt around his hip.  
Karolina feels the lump in her stomach grow, evolving into mountain. What the hell was going on?

”I´m sorry sir, but we have to ask you to sit back down at the table.” says the cashier, an odd look in his eyes that Karolina can´t quite decipher. Was it animosity? Fear?

Her father blinks, and she can see how his look goes from confusion to slight anger. ”Excuse me, but what is this about exactly?”

The security guard, who made no effort to hide what looked to be distaste, took a step closer. ”Go sit down, and we won´t have a problem.” he orders, the grip around the black baton tightening.

Karolina´s never been as scared before. Her head is spinning, trying to conjure any possible reason why this is happening. It has to be some odd misunderstanding.  
She takes ahold of her fathers hand, and he squeezes it tightly as if he’s afraid to let go.

”You can´t do this.” He tells the security guard. ”This is harassment.” 

Just as the guard is about to answer, the entrance doors open. When Karolina sees the four police officers, she’s relieved. They´ll clear this misunderstanding.  
The cops will sort this out, and then Karolina and her dad can go back to the hotell and joke about this. Prepare for the match tomorrow. He´ll be a bit grumpy and say he´ll never go to a museum again, but then they’ll laugh.

”Jonah McCarter?” The taller officer says as he approaches them, and before any of them gets a chance to answer, another officer grabs her fathers hands and cuffs them. ”You´re under arrest for suspected Parental Child Abduction. Anything you say can be used against you.”

”B-But you have the wrong person. My dad´s name is Jeffrey Mathews.” Karolina sputters, looks at her father who doesn’t say anything.  
Karolina doesn’t understand a thing, her mouth becomes dry. Why is he quiet? Why doesn´t he tell them they’re wrong?  
He looks at her with wide teary eyes.   
”Sweetie, I…!”

The officer pushes him forward. ”Get into the car.”

Karolina doesn’t realize how fast she’s breathing. A female officer, long hair and gentle features wraps an arm around Karolina´s shoulder as if to guide her to the police car waiting outside.   
Karolina shakes her off.

”You have the wrong person!” Karolina repeats to the officer, voice cracking, reaching out to her father who´s being dragged out through the front door and out to the street. The blue lights on the cars roof blinks as they puts him in the backseat. ”His name is Jeffrey Mathews, and I’m Karolina Mathews and we´re just here visiting. We haven´t done anything…!”

”I´m sorry miss.” The officer murmurs, and grabs Karolina gently but firm by the arm, guiding her out towards the second police car just nearby. ”But try to remain calm. We just need to ask your father some questions for now. I´m sure things will get cleared up soon.”

Karolina feels her throat narrowing, its difficult breathe. The space inside the police car is narrow, cramped, like she’s getting squished into an ever shrinking space. What she guesses are supposed to be reassuring and comforting glances from the officer in the drivers seat are anything but.  
She wants her dad.   
She wants him beside her, to tell her it´s all fine.   
———————————————————————————————————————————

Leslie had dropped the skillet of Chili-cornbread onto the kitchen floor when she had gotten the call. It was as if the strength had left her, sizzled out into the air and disappeared, and sunken to her knees as the social worker had explained. 

 

An old acquaintance had alarmed the authorities yesterday. She had recognized him, and the DNA tests had proven his identity. He´d been careful, changed names, forged papers. They’d investigate who had helped him. But her daughter, Karolina, was physically well, but psychologically in shock. It would take time for her to handle the situation. Probably therapy.

As the lady on the phone talked, Leslie could only repeat the words in her head, like a mantra. ´Karolina was well. Karolina was well.´

 

”Can I see her?” Leslie choked out, and the answer from the other side of the phone was immediate.

”By lawful right, you have the custody. Mr McCarter is to be sentenced in court, and by all accounts found guilty. We will have her back in your care once you have made arrangements and are ready.”

Leslie didn´t need to think twice, the answer was obvious. ”Tomorrow, I can pick her up tomorrow.”

”Very well. We will arrange the paperwork and personal belongings. Good bye, Mrs Dean.”

The call was disconnected, and Leslie could only let the phone rest in her lap where she sat on the floor, staring into the air. Not even the small thumping sound of tiny feet pattering towards the kitchen roused her.   
A head adorned with unruly light-brown hair peaked out from the doorway, the curious and light voice making Leslie blink, and come back to the present.

”Mommy, why are you crying?”

She hadn´t even realized the tears trailing down her cheeks and onto her lap. Leslie sniffled, wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath willing the tears to stop. 

”Mommy´s just happy sweetie” Her voice broke, and she released a small laugh and cried at the same time. The small feet scuffled over the floor, and the boy with the unruly auburn hair buried himself in the crook of her neck. She hugged him tight, rocking him back and forth.

”I have something to tell you. I should´ve told you a long time ago, but… I wasn´t sure we were ever going to see her again.” She murmured, his soft hair tickling against her cheek.

At Leslie´s words, the boy peaked up from her embrace, a curious glint shone in his dark blue eyes. ”See who?”


End file.
